In front of 18,000 spectators at the Dong'an Lake Sports Park, T1 and their captain Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok won the 2025 Worlds by crushing KT Rolster in the final (3–2). The greatest Telecom War in history ended in a logical coronation for T1, once again reaching the summit and earning their sixth world championship title.

After winning the fifth Worlds final ever to go to a Game 5 — and the first under fearless mode, T1 further solidify their dominance over League of Legends. And this time, they became the first team in history to achieve an impressive three‑peat, having already lifted the Summoner’s Cup in 2023 and 2024.

The meaning of History

For the first time, a League of Legends team has completed a three‑peat. The back‑to‑back‑to‑back eluded SK Telecom T1 (T1’s former name) in 2017, when they fell hard 0–3 against Park “Ruler” Jae‑hyuk’s Samsung Galaxy. But history always seems to bend in the same direction as Faker in LoL — and that wrong has now been made right.

A new page of the club’s story is being written, still centered around its captain, but also around the “generation of miracles” that continues to surround him. Whether it’s Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun, Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong, or Ryu "Keria" Min-seok, these players belong to a legendary breed within the game as they all enter the very closed circle of the three-time Worlds winner.

But the one who truly earned his legacy this year is Choi "Doran" Hyeon-joon. Joining the most legendary club in the world, taking over Choi "Zeus" Woo-je’s spot a year ago in a controversial toplane swap that shocked the entire scene, he had to endure wave after wave of criticism before finally delivering the ultimate answer that silenced them all.

In a beautiful twist of fate, Kim “kkOma” Jeong‑gyun also earned another world title that completes the circle: by defeating KT Rolster, he captured yet another championship trophy against Go “Score” Dong‑bin — the head coach with whom he began his career back in 2011 at StarTale, when both were still players.

A Telecom War for eternity

Despite the result, the course of the tournament promised a very open final. KT Rolster entered having lost only a single game — that one defeat coming in their semifinal victory over the mighty Gen.G, who had looked untouchable throughout the year. Meanwhile, T1, after a chaotic Swiss Stage, once again woke up in playoffs, delivering a legendary quarterfinal series against Anyone’s Legend (3–2) before slapping Top Esports 3–0 in the semis.

Even though T1 entered as heavy favorites thanks to their history with the tournament — four consecutive finals, two‑time defending champions backed by four players from the “generation of miracles” — victory still came through suffering against KT Rolster. Consistently behind in the early game across almost all matches, T1 were given a masterclass in tempo by KT. They never let T1 dictate the early game flow, forcing them into clutch plays. But if there’s one team that thrives under pressure, it’s the reigning triple world champions.

The series began with KT Rolster striking first through strong early‑game play, but their momentum faltered in the opening map when T1’s superior teamfighting took over after 18 minutes. KT regrouped in Game 2, dictating the pace throughout and closing only after their composition hit full stride, with Seo "deokdam" Dae-gil’s Ezreal and Gwak "Bdd" Bo-sung’s first‑time Mel dazzling to tie the score. Game 3 again favored KT early, yet T1’s resilience showed as their jungle and support, anchored by Dr. Mundo and Alistar, delivered clutch plays that turned the tide in mid‑game skirmishes.

From there, T1 never looked back. They dominated Game 4 by reinventing their approach—using Kalista and Anivia to suffocate KT’s tempo and secure every map objective—before sealing the championship in a decisive Game 5. With a Galio, Pantheon, and Camille setup, T1 took control from the outset and never let KT breathe, completing their climb to a historic Worlds victory.

Winning Bet

While this victory is clearly a collective achievement, it highlights once again how T1’s approach to Worlds always proves right. Over the past four years, they have reached the grand final every single time—winning it now three times—despite not having captured a single LCK split title during those seasons. Somehow, they always manage to peak exactly when it matters most: at the biggest tournament of the year.

And as the crowd chanted Faker’s name during his post-match interview, one couldn’t help but wonder how it’s possible for a team built around the same core of players year after year to keep applying the same formula and remain world champions for a third consecutive time.

T1 once again prove themselves to be the best talent factory in the world. Since 2020, it’s been the same “rookies” surrounding Faker, still lifting trophies at his side. With Faker signed through 2029, the future looks brighter than ever—and anyone hoping to stand in their way will have a tough time doing so.